This invention is directed to a mechanical computer designed to be easy to use and read but can be produced at low cost per unit.
The design of mechanical flight computers dates back nearly half a century. Early types were quite awkward and consisted of one side which was used for a graphical means of solving wind problems and another side which consisted of a slide rule device to solve time, speed, fuel consumption problems. Later types solved wind problems by a combination of graphical and mathematical methods which made the device less cumbersome.
The design of this flight computer is based upon the usage of formulas rather than a slide rule type device. Problems concerning time, speed, distance, etc. can be solved with either mental processes or a general purpose electronic calculator.
In the prior types of flight computers no device has ever been produced with the aircraft course indicator held radially by a retainer plate and prevented from axially moving by a face plate. This improvement prevents the outward edges of the aircraft course indicator from being bent upward.